meet the family

Stow Greenhouses is owned and operated by the husband and wife team of Dave Buchholz and Barbara Rietscha. In addition to growing and arranging flowers, they are raising three sons.

Barbara RietschA

Barbara runs the day-to-day operations of the business and oversees everything from first seeding to final arrangement. Born in PA, Barbara had a circuitous route to flower farming. After graduating from college with a chemistry degree, she moved to Central Africa to teach farmers how to raise fish. When she returned home, Barb learned how to program computers and then moved to the business side of things and got her M.B.A. After the birth of her 2nd son, she took some time off to raise her 3 sons until she and Dave bought the farm in 2010.

Barbara has studied with Erin Benzakein of Floret and completed the program at Rittner’s School of Floral Design in Boston. She uses flowers and herbs grown on her farm as well as things foraged from the property. Her style is organic and natural and she likes to bring the garden to the vase whether it is for a bride, home or office. Barbara is motivated to educate her customers about the local flower movement as well as support local farms and businesses. She enjoys being outdoors and skiing and her retirement plan is traveling across the country in an Air Stream.

Dave buchholz

By day Dave is an IT professional at a large bank but by night, he is a plumber, electrician, carpenter – a whatever-it-takes to keep the farm running. He is also the patient voice of reason to Barb’s unbridled enthusiasm. Dave was born with skis on his feet, enjoys all forms of cycling and coaches the high school ultimate frisbee team.

Nathan, Cameron AND Max BuchholZ

Cameron is living the Vermont life. He enjoys skiing and chess. Max is a senior in high school and looking at colleges based on how good the skiing near them is. Nathan is a junior in high school and loves playing soccer. Both Max and Nate play ultimate frisbee. Beside working on the farm, the boys have provided us with a steady stream of labor from their friends.